For everyday sandwiches at nursery, a plain sliced wholemeal loaf is a practical choice. Choose a whole or half loaf to suit the number of lunches you need to provide. Check the ingredients and allergens before packing it, agree arrangements with the nursery and freeze any bread you won’t use in time if needed. If your child follows a gluten-free diet, follow their individual diet plan and make separate arrangements for storing and preparing their food.
If you pack sandwiches for several days at nursery, the main thing is how much bread you’ll actually use. A straightforward sliced loaf can be convenient; a half loaf or frozen slices may be a better fit if there are fewer lunches to prepare.
You want to know which bread is suitable for an ordinary child’s lunch. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre includes wholemeal and brown bread among the choices in its Wheel of Five. You should also consider what your child eats and the nursery’s arrangements.
If a child has specific allergen or dietary requirements, the bread you choose needs to meet them. Check the current label and agree with the nursery how the lunch will be stored and prepared.
First, choose a type of bread that suits lunch at nursery. Then work out how much you need and check the ingredients and any dietary requirements.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Budget and portions | Compare whole and half loaves by weight and by the number of sandwiches you’ll use. Check whether you can freeze any leftover slices. | If I pack lunch for several days at nursery, I don’t want bread left over to go stale. Around 45% of consumers put making use of every portion first. |
| Everyday bread choice | Check whether the bread is wholemeal or brown. If you’re concerned about iodine, check the ingredients list to see whether baker’s salt is used. | For an everyday child’s lunch, I want to make an informed choice about the bread I pack, even when convenience isn’t my only consideration. Around 36% of consumers put this bread choice first. |
| Allergens and nursery arrangements | Read the current label and, if there are dietary requirements, agree with the nursery how the bread will be stored and prepared. | If my child has dietary requirements, the lunch I pack needs to meet them. This is the main concern for around 19% of consumers when making this choice. |
Loaves and packaging vary in weight and in the number of usable portions. A pack that doesn’t get used up is less suited to regular nursery lunches.
Count how many sandwiches you’ll need for the next few days and work out how much you could freeze, if needed.
Ordinary wholemeal bread can contain gluten-containing grains. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre notes that, with coeliac disease, even a small amount of gluten from cross-contamination can cause symptoms.
Follow the individual diet plan, read the label and agree with the nursery how to store and prepare the food separately if necessary.
If your child attends nursery for only a few days or eats small portions, some bread may be left over. That makes choosing the right amount just as important as choosing the type of bread.
Choose a pack that suits the number of lunches, or freeze unused slices if the storage instructions allow it.
These supermarket ranges offer different types of bread to compare with your lunch requirements. Check the packaging and product information at the shop where you buy each item.
The range includes ordinary wholemeal bread, speciality breads and gluten-free products.
Jumbo offers, among other things, fine wholemeal bread and a range of whole and half loaves.
Lidl lists Fine Wholemeal, 800 g, as a product available in store only.
ALDI offers fresh daily own-brand bread, including Fine Wholemeal, whole loaf.
PLUS offers plain, tiger and sourdough loaves in its wholemeal range.
Dirk offers, among other products, Bakker van der Akker Farmer’s Wholemeal, whole loaf.
These products are flatbreads and round wholemeal loaves for anyone considering something other than pre-sliced bread for sandwiches. Decide which type is practical for nursery lunches and, if there are dietary requirements, check the current packaging.
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An option if flatbread suits your planned lunch better than ordinary sandwiches.
The pack contains six pieces. Check the current allergen information and the nursery’s arrangements before packing it.
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This twin pack is only suitable for your lunch plans if you can use both loaves and have time to prepare them at home.
The loaves need to be defrosted, baked and cooled, and are not listed as pre-sliced. If your child has dietary requirements, check the label and nursery arrangements.
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The single loaf is a different quantity from the twin pack, making it an option if you’re planning for a limited number of lunches.
This loaf also needs to be defrosted, baked and cooled, and is not listed as pre-sliced. Check the current label before using it for a child with dietary requirements.
Sliced wholemeal bread is a practical choice if you pack ordinary sandwiches. Choose a whole or half loaf to suit the number of lunch days, and check which ingredients and allergens are relevant to your child and the nursery.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre includes wholemeal and brown bread among the choices in its Wheel of Five. For lunch, it’s also important to consider whether the bread suits what your child eats and any dietary requirements.
Check whether baker’s salt is listed in the ingredients, or ask about it if you’re buying unpackaged bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre highlights bread made with baker’s salt as a source of iodine. Don’t rely on the type of bread alone.
Ordinary wholemeal bread isn’t suitable if it contains gluten. Follow the child’s individual diet plan, choose bread that meets their needs and agree with the nursery how to prevent contact with gluten during storage and preparation.
Ask what rules the setting has for packed lunches, allergens and food storage. That way, you can choose the bread and packaging to suit the arrangements for your child.
